My Two Cents

July 15, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to Frank Lampard making the MLS all-star team
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith has penned a special ode to Frank Lampard after commissioner Don Garber named the NYC FC player, who hasn't played a minute for the expansion team, to the MLS all-star team.

July 9, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
USA women deserve the sole spotlight in the parade, none for MLS teams
The women who fought through adversity to earn the title deserve all of their well-earned accolades for being the best in the world. That the United States last won the Women's World Cup 16 years ago demonstrates how difficult it is to attain that pinnacle, and how much those ladies deserve this.

July 9, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
How excited are you about the parade?
With the U.S. women's national team getting honored via a ticker-tape parade by New York City Friday, we would like to know how excited are you by it.

June 30, 2015
COSMOS, PART II
Red Bulls plan to use as many first-line players as possible vs. Cosmos in Cup
It will be another chance for Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch to back up his statement last January that his team will take the Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup seriously. And with the Cosmos coming into Red Bull Arena, the emotions of the match will be charged.

June 30, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to another derby loss to NYC FC
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith pens yet an ode, this one about NYC FC's derby loss to the Red Bulls.

June 18, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to a derby victory over Don Garber's $100M baby
Will Smith, BigAppleSoccer's resident ode master, penned this one in wake of the Cosmos' shootout win over New York City FC in the Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup.

June 8, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Two things to be proud about: USA, Cosmos
I was very moved last Tuesday by two events in the world of soccer and found myself feeling rather patriotic by day's end.

May 28, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Putting the Cosmos-NYC FC derby into perspective
Long-time New York soccer fan Will Smith puts the Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup game between the Cosmos and New York City FC into perspective.

May 11, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to the Hudson River Derby
Soccer fan Will Smith has written his Ode to the Hudson River Derby.

May 10, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
This soccerholic loves New York roots for Red Bulls, NYC FC as he has season tickets to both teams
In his own words, this fan of the beautiful game has followed the Red Bulls through the years and has started to attend New York City FC games as well. In fact, he has season tickets to both Major League Soccer teams.

April 2, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Another option for MLS I and MLS II
Dr. Christopher Berger, a soccer fan, is a professor at the University of Vermont, has another option on the possibility of MLS I and MLS II.

March 30, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Responding to the MLS 2 story
Ultimately, I think MLS will absorb the bigger NASL teams and the rest will join USL.

March 24, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Re-imagining the NASL
Super-fan Will Smith writes about how the North American Soccer League can re-imagine itself as it battles Major League Soccer.

March 20, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
A memorable night at Stamford Bridge Roy Berger, a former classmate of BigAppleSoccer.com editor Michael Lewis at W.T. Clarke High School in Westbury, last month visited Chelsea and Stamford Bridge for the first time and related his memorable experiences on FaceBook. Lewis asked Berger if he could use it as a My Two Cents and he agreed.

March 14, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
The Starting XI For March 2015
Long-time New York soccer fan Will Smith has 11 intriguing ideas as the new season kicks off.

February 25, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Will Smith is ready to save the 2015 MLS season
As we draw closer to the start of another Major League Soccer season, we also draw closer to the possibility that the 2015 season won't start on time or even start at all.

January 25, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Things that would make me happy in 2015
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith has a wish list of 11 things that would make him happy this coming year.

January 18, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Red Bulls' Town Hall failed in every way it could have succeeded
Long-time Red Bulls fan Bill Balduino felt both sides did not fare well at the club's Town Hall meeting on Friday.

January 12, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
The Red is Dead
In wake of Mike Petke's sacking as Red Bulls coach, Bruce DiBisceglie has penned a poem entitled, The Red is Dead.

January 8, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
It's time for this fan to leave the Red Bulls
Long-time Red Bulls fan Sean Johnson has had it with the MLS team and he explains why.

January 7, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Hello, Mr. Curtis, I must be going
In the wake of firing of popular Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke, long-time soccer fan Will Smith of Brooklyn, N.Y. penned a letter to sporting director Ali Curtis. This letter has been used with permission from Smith.

January 7, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
What do you think of Petke's sacking?
What do you think of Mike Petke being fired by the Red Bulls?

January 4, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
What questions do you have for Garber, NYC FC, Man City in wake of the Lampard fiasco?
Soccer fans: what questions do you have to ask MLS, New York City FC and Manchester City about the Frank Lampard affair?

January 2, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
Lampard episode is a huge embarrassment for MLS
The Frank Lampard episode is getting play in other countries’ sports pages. This is a huge embarrassment for MLS.

January 1, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
The straw that broke the camel's back
For me, this is the straw that broke the camel's back. I was a long-time supporter of the "idea" of creating a NY2. Nearly everything about NYC FC has been done wrong - from no real home or soccer stadium to playing in a baseball stadium (Yankees Stadium). From the uniforms that suggested that this NYC club has no unique identity but is a servant and lesser consideration to the MCFC brand and to the "loan" of Frank Lampard, which confirmed it to be true.

January 1, 2015
MY TWO CENTS
What do you think of the Lampard decision?
So, what do you think of Manchester City's decision to extend Frank Lampard's contract to the end of the English Premier League season?

December 17, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
One fan's letter to Santa
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith of Brooklyn asks Santa for some presents for the three area pro soccer teams.

December 15, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Give your opinion on the story, stories of the year
So, what do you think was the soccer story of the year in the metro area?

November 30, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Passionate Petke has made mistakes, but is right man to lead Red Bulls to first MLS title
The Red Bulls season was over. The New England Revolution was celebrating its Eastern Conference final victory. Inside the tunnel, coach Mike Petke walked out of the locker room, past the gathered media. It was a walk of heartbreak. A coach seeing the club suffer one too many failures needed to gather his thoughts.

November 27, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
So, what are you thankful for?
Soccer fans from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, the United States and the world, BigAppleAppleSoccer.com has a question for you: Just what are you thankful for in 2014?

MY TWO CENTS
Ode to The Cosmos' disappointing 2014
Will Smith, a long-time soccer fan who lives in Brooklyn, writes a an ode to the Cosmos's disappointing 2014 season.

November 5, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to Saturday's Red Bulls match in D.C.
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith penned this ode to the Red Bulls' playoff match at D.C. United Saturday.

October 24, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Cosmos, Red Bulls disagreement may impact future relationship, but hurts Connor Lade the most right now
A broken promise, hurt feelings and one cancelled loan spell. Connor Lade will no longer turn out for the Cosmos this year after he was expected to finish the season with the North American Soccer League club.

October 19, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to The Don Having a tantrum
Will Smith writes something about Don Garber and his remarks about Jurgen Klinsmann.

October 15, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to another lost football season
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith of Brooklyn also follows another type of football, the American gridiron form and he laments the recent losses by the Giants and Jets.

October 8, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Just what did Savarese hint at that 'could change the future of our club'
The Cosmos never have been shy about their plans since their return to the North American Soccer League - a new stadium, global stars on the pitch and an attitude to win any and every trophy in sight.

October 6, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Some thoughts about an aging Thierry Henry
I love Craig Burley as a color commentator. He sealed it for me, recently (try ESPNFC Podcast of Oct. 3), when he remarked that Thierry Henry used to be a “frightening” player during his days at Arsenal.

September 16, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to Red Bulls' tight purse strings
In the wake of the Red Bulls not putting a team in USL PRO and it not signing a third Designated Player, frustrated soccer fan Will Smith penned this ode to the Major League Soccer team.

August 2, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ronaldinho to Cosmos: Is it really too far-fetched?
The battle continues to rage on as to who is the best player in the world – Messi or Ronaldo? However, once upon a time Ronaldinho was on that lofty pedestal. Now not so much, but he still is a very good player.

July 25, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
What is it worth to you, Freddy?
Even though Freddy Adu signed with Serbian club FK Jagodina this week, fan Sean Davidson Johnson still wants the former teen phenom to return home.

July 4, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to the U.S. National Team
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith has penned an Old to the U.S. National Team.

June 16, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Cosmos loss was a total embarrassment and then some to this Red Bulls fan
In the wake of the Red Bulls' loss to the New York Cosmos in the Lamar Hunt/U.S.Open Cup, Bill Balduino is mad as hell and can't take it any more.

May 25, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
The Starting Eleven
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith has a few opinions -- on the Red Bulls, Cosmos, NYC FC, Jurgen Klinsmann and Landon Donovan, among others.

May 22, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
What do you think about Donovan not making World Cup team?
So, U.S. national coach Jurgen Klinsmann has made his decision: Landon Donovan won't be going to Brazil. What do you think?

March 22, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
The Starting XI: Fan Will Smith has some observations of Red Bulls, NYC FC, Cosmos
Local soccer fan Will Smith makes 11 observations about the Red Bulls, NYC FC and the Cosmos.

MY TWO CENTS
What did you think of the Red Bulls' opener?
It's been a few days since the Red Bulls dropped their opening match of the season in Vancouver, we haven't heard one word from a Red Bulls fan.

January 22, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Cosmos, Lewis open door to change in the U.S. soccer landscape
The New York Cosmos may be a second division side, but they flashed top division muscle this past week. Signing Andre Lewis days before the Major League Soccer SuperDraft has forced the Vancouver Whitecaps to come to a loan/transfer agreement to secure the signing of their own draft pick. Vancouver had selected Lewis as the seventh overall pick.

January 19, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
MLS reserve and USL Pro musings
Long-time Red Bulls fan Chris Brandon Whitaker has some opinions of his own abut the MLS Reserve-USL Pro league merger.

January 8, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
Part II: A few reasons how promotion/relegation system could be a success in the United States
With soccer growing in popularity domestically as well as interest in the European/South American leagues and international tournaments still on the rise, the professional leagues in the United States still have many questions that need to be answered.

January 7, 2014
MY TWO CENTS
A few reasons why promotion/relegation system could be a success in the United States
BigAppleSoccer.com writer talks about the benefits of the promotion/relegation system and why it should be used in the United States.

December 15, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
All I want for Christmas
Soccer fan Will Smith has put together a list of Christmas gifts that Santa should bestow on area soccer and it's supporters.

December 8, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The man who managed to silence Maracana
Long-time soccer fan Vish Murthy writes about a man who managed to silence all of Maracana in the 1950 World Cup final.

December 6, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Handshake of inspiration: my tribute to Nelson Mandela
Former MetroStars assistant coach and Portuguese assistant coach Dan Gaspar, now an assistant on the Iranian national team, remembers when he met Nelson Mandela.

November 29, 2013
My TWO CENTS
What the Cosmos need this off-season
The New York Cosmos finished the North American Soccer League as the league’s best team after hoisting the Soccer Bowl trophy on Nov. 9. Although the club reached the heights of old with another championship, there is still work to be done this off-season to improve the squad.

November 27, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
What are you thankful for in soccer this year?
With Thanksgiving Day right around the corner, we'd love to hear from you on whatever you are thankful for this holiday season.

November 17, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Some thoughts on improving NASL's split season format
The North American Soccer League playoff format isn’t what we are used to seeing in terms of North American sport. However, it keeps the league in a unique position in which it is doing something no one else is. However, in order to grow the league, a few changes should be taken into consideration.

November 11, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst on relapse
Chris Brandon Whitaker writes The Red Bulls’ Analyst column monthly, providing “Analysis for a team & therapy for fans," tackles the issue of relapse after last Wednesday's elimination from the MLS Cup playoffs.

October 18, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Oh, the hypocrisy of it All
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith feels some fans are two-faced when it comes to U.S. pro soccer and the New York Cosmos.

October 14, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst on loss aversion
For this month’s session, the Red Bulls’ Analyst will process the team’s recurrent problem with avoiding losses rather than winning games.

October 8, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Some things this fan would like to see in the long term of MLS
Long-time soccer fan Will Smith makes a list of some improvements to MLS that he would like to see over the next decade.

October 1, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Petke is the pulse of the Red Bulls
Red Bulls fan Alan Alcalde talks about how rookie head coach Mike Petke has changed the face of the Red Bulls.

September 3, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst on mimicry
This is the latest edition of Chris Brandon Whitaker' The Red Bulls’ Analyst column monthly, which provides “Analysis for a Team & Therapy for Fans."

August 27, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Red Bulls outside midfielders, DPs are not making the grade on a mediocre team
Long-time Red Bulls supporter Bill Balduino feels the team's two outside midfielders and designated players are not making the grade.

August 13, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The march of the Elephants: exciting match could be on tap when Ivory Coast meets Mexico
It may be only an international riendly, but BigAppleSoccer.com writer Matt Levine says that he is looking forward to Wednesday night's matchup between Ivory Coast and Mexico at MetLife Stadium.

August 13, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The only consistent thing about the confounding Red Bulls is their inconsistency
Red Bulls fan Vish Murthy says the only consistent thing about the Red Bulls is their inconsistency in the wake of their 2-0 loss at the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

August 12, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The mysteries of NYC FC
Area soccer fan Will Smith talks about the challenges that NYC FC, MLS' 20th team and 2015 expansion team, will face.

August 8, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Some lessons learned from MLS all-star game
Vish Murthy. a long-time Red Bulls fan who lives in Princeton, N.J., looks at the lessons learned from the MLS all-star game.

August 1, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Of hopes, wishes and dreams
Fandom is an inherently painful experience. Rooting hard for a team is no guarantee of success. Lots of Mets, Jets, Rangers, Knicks and Red Bulls fans can attest to that. Even the most successful sports franchise in the U.S., the Yankees, are a miserable failure if you study the numbers. They've won 27 world championships and have played 113 seasons.

July 27, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Why this New Yorker is switching allegiances from the Red Bulls to the Cosmos
Gino Rullo, a long-time New York City soccer fan and a former vice president of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, explains why he will root for the New York Cosmos instead of the Red Bulls.

July 21, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst on cognitive consistency
Chris Brandon Whitaker, who writes The Red Bulls’ Analyst column monthly, which provides “Analysis for a team & therapy for fans,” tackles the subject of cognitive consistency. In other words, the Red Bulls lead the league in being inconsistent.

July 5, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Red Bulls need players and they need them quickly
Red Bulls fan Bill Balduin says the team needs players and it needs them quickly.

July 4, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to the Red Bulls losing once Again on July 4th
Frustrated Red Bulls fan Will Smith penned an Ode to the Red Bulls' inability to win on July in wake of their loss at the Colorado Rapids on Thursday night.

July 1, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
11 observations from the Red Bulls' Victory over the Dynamo
Red Bulls fan Will Smith made some intriguing observations about New York's 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo on Sunday.

June 25, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Red Bulls' Analyst: the looking at the team's issues with shallowness on several levels
In this edition of Red Bulls Analyst, Chris Brandon Whitaker tackles the team's problem of depth.

June 23, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Ode to Lloyd Sam
Long-time Red Bulls fan and sufferer Will Smith penned an Ode to Lloyd Sam after the right wing's red card in the 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union on Sunday.

June 15, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
On mergers and acquisitions
Red Bulls fan Will Smith looks at the pluses and minuses of NYC FC and the New York Cosmos and gives an intriguing assessment of the team teams vying for attention in New York City.

June 13, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
So, how would you mark the Red Bulls?
BigAppleSoccer.com is in the midst of doing its mid-term report card for the Red Bulls. Do you agree with Michael Lewis's and Kristian Dyer's grades and analysis? Or perhaps you disagree

June 7, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
A fan's thoughts on ESPN's new soccer-themed TV show
Red Bulls fan Pete Falcone gives his two cents and then some about ESPN's soccer-themed television show.

May 31, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst – Effort justification
In this edition of his Red Bulls ' Analyst column, fan Chris Brandon Whitaker looks at the issue of effort justification in regard to the team's recent success.

May 27, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
A tale of three teams
Long-time soccer fan and observer Will Smith looks at the three area soccer teams and their long-term prospects.

May 14, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
An open letter of thanks to Joe Goldberg
Matt Levine, who has played for the Oceanside United Soccer Club for two decades, writers a letter of thanks to co-founder Joe Goldberg, who passed away on Monday.

May 6, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The most interesting XI so far
Long-time Red Bulls fan Will Smith picked his 11 most interesting story lines one third of the way through the MLS season.

May 2, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Two consecutive wins, yet this Red Bulls supporter still has his concerns
Long-time Red Bulls supporter Vish Murthy was heartened by the last two Red Bulls win, but he still has some concerns about the MLS team.

March 15, 2013
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
About the Red Bulls or anything in soccer?
Red Bulls fans, what do you think of the team's 0-1-1 start? Should the Red Bulls have returned home unde eated for their home opener against D.C. United on Saturday? How do you think they will are this season under head coach Mike Petke?

March 8, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
The Red Bulls’ Analyst – Closure with 2012
For this month’s session, the Red Bulls’ Analyst will address the issue of closure with regard to the 2012 alums no longer on the team.

March 1, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
A fan’s open letter to Thierry Henry
Vish Murthy, a long-time Red Bulls fan from Princeton, N.J., writes an open letter to team captain and striker Thierry Henry.

February 19, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Ain't nothing like the real thing
Longtime New York soccer fan Will Smith has a solution on how the New York Cosmos and Major League Soccer can work together to help solidify the future of professional soccer in the metropolitan area.

January 27, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Petke is ready and able, but his long-term success could be determined by his relationship with Henry
Long-time Red Bulls fan Vish Murthy feels that Mike Petke is ready and able to be coach of the MLS team. His long-term success, however, could be determined by his relationship with Thierry Henry.

January 24, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
There are other coaching possibilities for RBNY, including ones with MLS experience and Petke
Long-time Red Bulls fan Sean David Johnson says he has not been put off by the fact the club has not coach. in fact, he is intrigued to see what interim head coach Mike Petke is made of as a coach, among other possibilities

January 22, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
What do you think of the Red Bulls' coaching situation?
So, what do you think about the Red Bulls being the only MLS team without a permanent head coach in wake of the report that Paulo Sousa has turned them down?

January 10, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
What the Sousa apologists don't want you to realize
Red Bulls fan Sean David Johnson has some major concerns if former Paulo Souza was named coach of the Major League Soccer team.

January 8, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Red Bulls' recent moves do not have a vision
With Joel Lindpere getting traded to the Chicago Fire, Red Bulls fan Nick Abbott fears the Major League Soccer team does not have a vision for the 2013 MLS season.

January 5, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
Sorry to see Lindpere go, but does Red Bulls management have any sort of game plan?
Red Bulls fan Donovan Hall says he is sorry to see Joel Lindpere leave the team. He also wonders if the team has any short of game plan with all the player movement, especially without a coach.

Januiary 4, 2013
MY TWO CENTS
What do you think of the Lindpere deal, no Red Bulls coach or something else in soccer?
Red Bulls, what do you think of Joel Lindpere being dealt to the Chicago Fire? Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing?

December 19, 2012
MY TWO CENTS
The king is dead, but long live the king?
Long-time Red Bulls fan C.B. Whitaker rejoices on the parting of Rafa Marquez. But Whitaker alo is concerned about who will emerge as the real team leader in 2013 -- captain Thierry Henry or the latest designated player signing, Tim Cahill.

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